Touratech hates travelers who travel! But why?
 

My letter to Touratech!

Hello Dominique and Herbert,

Touratech must hate travelers so much that they make it impossible to order stuff while they are on the road.

Ordering in Holland is nuts. I the past I ordered at the website in Germany and my order went as an email to a Dutch BMW dealer in Holland. Then someone, was ordering again in Germany, with a lot of mistakes. Of course they don't fix their mistakes and don't ship out of Holland!!!!!!!! For this stupid services I need to pay 4% more then the prices in Germany?????????????????. I drove at my Honda Africa Twin to this BMW dealer. All sales persons jumped at me and telling me that I drove an old bike, and need to buy their BMW. They explained me that they give extra services. I asked if I could test a new seat for my HONDA AFRICA TWIN, no I could only buy and not give back, so definitely not testing it. This is maximum irritating.

I can order in Germany, but not deliver out of Germany.

Ordering in French is hell because I don't speak French very wel. I can not pay with my Dutch credit card. The only other way of paying is with an French check, its 2014 and they still work with this insecure way of payment. And of course I don't have French checks. !!!! But this is the only way to get stuff delivered in France!!!!

I'm dutch, and traveling in France.

Touratech is really hating me!

For this reason avoid Touratech as much as possible. And If I buy something, I always remove their name of the product.

So what will happen now?? I don't now. I start to look for other stuff at other sites, I give up completely.

If a traveler is on the road and needs parts, forget Touratech, They hate You.

And now I hate You!

Bye,

Guus

You're surprised that TT are sh!te!? :rofl:

:oops2:

It sounds that everyone knows already, except me.

No I feel even more stupid doh that I tried to order again with TT.

It's a very frustrating day today.

A simple solution would be to not buy the stuff, you don't need most of it and the rest has alternative suppliers.

Try these guys:

https://sites.google.com/site/pooratrek/home

:innocent:

Andy

They won't respond to a mail like that. I wouldn't in any case.

Alternatively you could try the Belgian TT distributor, he speaks dutch and probably will ship to FR or NL as he's a good guy... just an idea...

I don't know how TT have setup the whole thing, but it looks like franchises, and they dictate the minimum price - price wise I think the UK is the most expensive.

I've had both good and bad experience in regards to how they treat their customers; it looks like it's only in Germany it's possible to spare parts like half a pannier rack (but that might have changed in the last few years).

One have to give it to TT, they have figured out how to convince all adv. bike riders (or hopefuls) that you're not a real man (or woman) if you haven't spend all your savings in buying bling from them. They have useful stuff, but also a large amount of useless stuff.. :oops2:

As for seats; Kahedo's own branded seats are mostly cheaper (and better), and they do sell seat directly to end customers.


Casper

I´m sure the folks at TT Germany would have found a solution if you would have asked. Whilst I have occasionally not been exceptionally impressed by their stuff (at other occasions I have), I have always during the last six years found the TT staff by mail, by phone and in person (be it at their store at HQ or at bike fairs) very friendly and solution-/service-oriented. I have dealt with them on a high number of occasions to equip my Africa Twin, my KTM 1190 Adv R and my wife´s Transalp.

You will have to understand and accept that their business model is to have distributors in certain countries which they most certainly have to protect due to contractual obligations, through which they do regular business, which is everything but odd (French specialties such as payment are well known to any traveller trying to purchase gas from a gas station outside daytime Monday through Friday without a French payment card); but it would utterly surprise me if I would not be able to receive help for e.g. urgent spare parts and accessories from my local German or the local national TT shop if I am on the road abroad. Should your Dutch TT distributor prove to be unhelpful (I cannot see from the Dutch website nor from Google Maps that at the TT Netherlands address the TT distributor is in fact (only) a BMW dealer) - I am surprised you did purchase from the German website although TT offers a Dutch website for its Dutch operations anyways - a call into TT HQ would most certainly have helped. Have you ever contacted TT France regarding their ability to serve you in English?

Regards
Chris

I hear your frustration !

I thought the EU was all about free trade for people in Europe but Touratech seem to have their own rules.

If I want Touratech stuff by mail order I have to buy from Touratech UK - but then it pains me to look at the UK pricing vs other countries.......

One bit of good news, however, is that some Touratech stuff is available via your friendly local KTM dealer - and it can be quite a bit cheaper !

For instance the alloy pannier boxes are (from memory) about £30 or £40 cheaper (each) than if you buy from Touratech. But if you want a lock set for the boxes they are way cheaper from Touratech !

It's worth shopping around !

They are bound by their distributorship contracts not to ship to any other country than their own.

If the Belgian guy ships to France, and the French distributor finds out about it, the Belgian guy can get his cash cow cut off, and Touratech Germany will either make him pay a big fine or will cancel his distributorship and appoint someone else.

Its a very strict franchise.

As Walter mentioned it's a franchise. The EU is a Tax union (and many other things) which means that you only pay value added taxes in the country where you buy the product. But the manufacture is not bound by any laws to sell to you...


Casper

I only wonder : "what is the EU stands for? What does EU means ?" In this case !

:funmeterno:

EU = European Union
EC = European Community, which was the the predecessor of the EU

In this case the the EU have nothing to do with anything. TT is a company which runs it's business how they decide.

Casper

So, as suggested by others already: If you don't like how they sell/distribute their products, go elsewhere (there are plenty of other vendors who ship Europe and Worldwide) or don't bother at all, as most of the TT catalog is just tat anyway.

If you really do "need" TT stuff, check the companies who make items for TT (like Kahedo) and buy it direct from them, probably for less. TT just adds their logo and adds a premium to the OEM price.

It's worse up here, price for an IMO:

Germany: 449€
UK: 617€
Norway: 781€

It would have been cheaper for me to order the part to a hotell in Kiel, bring my gf with a cruiseship to Kiel and spend a night at the hotell then to buy it in Norway.
I even had to wait more then a month for the part, it was in stock in Germany...

Anyway, I wrote a mail to TT and got no answer.

Hi Guus, Sorry to hear you are having so much trouble with TT. I have no involvement with them as you know, but we did meet up with Yvon Bodelot down in the Aveyron last September if you remember. Yvon is the TT franchise owner in France, based at Orange, actually not too far from Montpellier. ( 100Kms) ZAC Porte sud 356 r Roussanne BP 124 84104 ORANGE Cedex. Yvon@touratech.fr. I am sure he would be delighted to hear your complaint!! ( he speaks excellent English).

I bought a new bike. I'm in the progress of changing it into a travelbike. All the special made stuff for my new bike I ordered at the producers in The UK, Germany and The USA and normal stuff from places in Europe. The only thing left are the panniers. The Zega is my choice and they coming from TT. But is very funny how hard it is to buy them for me.

I got an answer. Later in this tread I will explain what the solution is

Personally I'd rather hit my head hard with a hammer than buy anything from this lot. I have experienced the problem myself and promised to NEVER use them again in the future. I know 4 others who were ripped off by this company (paying way over the odds for what they needed). :(

My advice is to research the internet to locate what you need. It's often possible to find what you need at a fraction of the price demanded by this bunch.

No one minds a retailer making a reasonable profit what we don't like is being ripped off! :nono:

Thanks for the tip.

I just called them and ordered a complete black version and wider +50mm. I don't like the TT version who has a big gray part at the back with TT on it. Now I need to ship my seat to them. It cost 300,00 and 20,00 for shipping. This way again it getting a better product for less and straight form the manufactur.

Good deal!!

I try to explain TT that their business models dosn't fit their costumers who travel outside their own country. And this is quit silly for travels who wants to buy TT stuff to travel.....

I got a response today. Later in this treat I will write the solution.

And it's not a specific French problem!!!! It's a world wide problem.

Last Year I called TT Germany and they explained me that I need to order in France. I explaind my trouble with the French Language and way of payment. They could send it to Andorra for me, just 320 KM driving to pick up my stuff. So I ordered at the German website and used an adress in Germany to ship the product. Then this friend ships them to me. It's double work.

The TT business is not for travalers who NOT travel outside their own country!!!! If things break, They won't send You the necessary stuff. You always need to ship the stuff twice.

I avoid TT stuff for a long time already. But the only product I like is their panniers. And they make this them self (if I'm right).

I called Kahedo and ordered a remake of my seat. Completely black and with a Kahedo print in the material. So no strange (ugly( gray part in the seat with TT printed on it. Its only cost euro 300,00 and euro 20,00 for shipping straight to me!!

TT answered at my (emotional) email Later in this threat I explain the solution.

Thansk for Your reaction

:oops2:

I have been many times in Norway. But I'm completely surprised to her this. This is not only the difference in VAT anymore.

I will write my solution later in this thread.

I avoid TT stuff for a long time already. But the only product I like is their panniers. And they make this them self (if I'm right).

I ordered everything elsewhere. I only like their panniers.....

TT answered at my email Later in this threat I explain the solution.

Thansk for Your reaction

I get the impression that virtually every man and their dog makes aluminium panniers. Not just TT/Zega. I can name at least 10 alli pannier manufacturers. You can always buy or make your own mounts to bolt onto your racks.

Or if it's plastic or soft you want, there are also a huge multitude of vendors.

Hallo Pongo,

All I remembered that it was a nice meeting. And I was very happy with the central tent!!!! It was cold and rained every single day (bad luck).... Brrr. I was so cold...

It my be only 100 KM, but it's wintertime here......... (I hate cold)

But why should I drive to them when I can use Internet in my warm house at the beach? TT has a ugly concept. They only thing I can do when I go their is to punch a nose..... Better to write I think

The Solution
 

Send a email like mine (and be emotional) to Herbert.

Then You may order by email in Germany and get shipped where ever You are.........

Maybe in the future they will implement this in their business policy. Then You may write an email without the emotions in it.

God luck and save travels

Guus

The last 3 years I drive around at my Honda Africa Twin with Zega 45 liter panniers. I tipped over many times (still learning how to drive in soft sand and soft lava). The panniers never broke from the very heavy bike, tough not rain proof anymore. After being so cruel for the panniers I'm impressed. So for this reason I want TT panniers... dam, why so much trouble....

It means an EU seller has the right to sell his products to anyone within the 28 countries.

It does not mean an EU seller MUST sell his products to everyone in the 28 countries

TT forbids his resellers to sell to people who not live in the country where they are reseller.

This is protectionism.

I think it's even illegal, but sorry, I'm not a layer specialist in EU laws.

So a traveler from Holland who is traveling in France may NOT order in France.
So a traveler from The USA who is traveling in Germany may NOT order in Germany.
So a traveler from The Germany who is traveling in New Zeeland may NOT order in New Zeeland.

and so on.....

My interpretation of this company rule of TT in Germany is this:

This means travelers may not travel outside of their own country.

Put emotion in the discussion:

Touratech hates travelers who travel!

No. Protectionism is when the Government puts rules in place to discourage or forbid imports to protect its own manufacturers, workers, farmers etc.

Whats more, every single country, every single government in the world practices protectionism. Every single one. This is hardly the place to complain about it.

So ... protectionism is (1) something that governments (not companies) do and (2) Its not only legal, its universal.

What private companies do as a matter of internal policy to protect different franchises cannibalising each other is not protectionism. Its completely normal for a company to guarantee a certain territory to a particular franchise. If you bought a McDonalds franchise, you would NOT expect McDonalds to allow another guy to set one up in the next building to yours, selling big macs at a cheaper price, would you? When you try to register your kid at a school, they absolutely have the right to say "you do not live in our territory - go to a different school that services your area". Again, its totally normal for that to happen.

Its life. Stop getting worked up about it. You don't have the right to demand a company supplies you with goods ON YOUR TERMS.

You DO have the right to take your business to a different company. I suggest you do that.

Well this is clearly rubbish - either you are a fool or you are deliberately not telling the truth. If you want the item shipped to France then you simply order at the Touratech France website. They don't care if you are a traveller from Holland or not. Its not relevant. You said in your first post that you don't want to order from the French website because its 4% more than in Holland, because you dont speak French and because you don't like their method of payment.

So the problem is YOU. Its YOU who doesn't want to order from the French website. How on earth can you justify saying a traveller in France can NOT order in France? You are talking total rubbish. I am not interested in defending Touratech by any means, but for crying out loud, this is a ridiculous complaint.

Touratech's business model is poor, outdated and not customer friendly. (1) We know all that (2) That does not make it illegal (3) You refusing to follow their system does not mean they are restricting you (4) Shop somewhere else and be happy.

I a previous life I have been involved in working out the EU regulations specially selective distribution etc.

The answer above hits the hart of this "problem".

1) TT can sell whereever they want in the union.
2) They can not make a difference between customers from different countries.
3) Each filial or franchise is protected in their region or country as far as it concerns promotional and marketing activities.
4) No filial or franchise can refuse to sell to anybody but they can refuse to service (in this case sending the product) outside their region.
5) Fixed pricing is FORBIDDEN!! so the pricedifferences ar logic. 20 years ago you wouldn't notice, but nowadays on the WWW you see it. Price differences are also explainable, having an building and paying wages in Spain or in Holland is not exactly the same.

GRTZ,

JP

It is a common and legal dealership/franchise practice.

If a man walks in off the street and wants to buy the stuff in the window you need a pretty good reason not to sell to him. Unless you are an arms dealer his nationality is pretty much none of your business.

If the same bloke rings from outside your geographical area you can just refuse to ship there. I don't want the hassle of trying to send stuff I sell on e-bay to some place the postal service operates on a Jumble Sale system, so you can't deny a TT dealer the same choice.

Nothing to stop anyone with an EU passport or similar flying to Hamburg and going shopping at TT. Doesn't mean you'd want to when you can see how they take the ****, but I don't want to pay Norwegian prices either.


Andy

I've not read all of this thread.. My two pence worth though...

I fit A LOT of TT stuff to customers bikes... It's mostly CRAP. Really poor fit and quality. And OUTRAGEOUSLY priced. It's mostly completely unnecessary too.

Selling protection for things that don't need protecting and in some cases, they make the component MORE vulnerable.

Their fasteners are always cheap and poor quality and not thought out for their application. Tiny cheese headed hex bolts etc. That's the stuff which isn't held together by zip ties...Bodgetastic....

The only thing more annoying than fitted TT parts is removing them to do BASIC maintenance. They don't care. They just want to sell cheap, pressed aluminium to idiots.


I think the only thing that is worse than the crap they sell is their customer service....


Just to be fair and balanced, their GPS brackets are pretty good. I had once for my Garmin 2610 and it lasted well... But it's brain-deaded design meant it destroyed the power cable...

My advice to anyone flicking though a TT catalogue would be to consider what you want it for.. Then google for something which will be half the price and twice the quality..

I would have to agree with some of this after having a bike that came with some rad braces already fitted,one of which wore through the radiator and pissed everywhere,the other side done more damage to rad in a reasonable tumble than it saved...this is not a dig at ze Germans at tt but they do sort of encourage people to think the wheels won't go around unless its got a load of additional crap bolted to the thing...

I find this company very helpful for shipping TT kit from Germany at the catalogues €uro price to me in the UK:

motorcycle-luggage-shop.com > Suzuki

Just my few cents here:
Sure they have a lot of stuff that you do not need, but they produce stuff that they can sell.
I have always had excellent service from them, but I have always been in direct contact with a factory shop.
Their products are quite highly priced, but fixing things after warranty period has been super (for example: zipper from my tank bag failed after couple of years, they fixed and send it back to me free of charge!).
I do not know how it is with their other shops, but factory shop gets my thumbs up.

This has everything to do with preventing their own franchisees from competing with one another on price therefore reducing everyones profits.

I had some good and some not so good products from Touratech but the service I got from the Dutch Touratech Distributor is OK.